Page 25 of Ambrosia Kisses
Her gaze drifts to me and then away so quickly I would have missed it if I weren't hyper-focused on every move she makes. "I'd like to get hired on in the prosecutor's office somewhere. That's where my dad and grandpa both started out."
"You want to follow in their footsteps?"
"Somewhat," she murmurs. "I don't have judgeship aspirations, but I want to help victims, not perpetrators. The best place to do that is as a prosecutor."
"Any area in particular?"
She shrugs, glancing away from me. "I'd like to stay close to Lucy. That probably sounds silly. We're both adults. We can't be joined at the hip forever, but…"
"But she's your best friend."
"Yeah," she says, her voice soft as she tucks an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Even though we were only three hours away from each other, I feel like I've already missed so much of my nieces' lives. And now Oliver and Lucy are having another baby. I don't want to be an absentee godparent."
"Ouch," I murmur.
Paisley grimaces, her gaze flitting to mine. "I'm sorry. I wasn't talking about you."
"Maybe not, but the shoe fits anyway. I've missed a lot."
"Me too," she whispers. "Being here always felt…different after you left. Like I was trying to take your place or something." She shrugs awkwardly. "I didn't come much."
"You're welcome here anytime, Paisley." I meet her gaze, holding it. "My family loves you." At this point, I'm fairly sure half of them would choose her over me. I can't say that I blame them. Given half a chance, it's the choice I'd make.
She gives me a tiny smile before taking another few bites. "What was Italy like?"
"Beautiful." I push my plate away. "Lonely."
"You never…?" She bites her bottom lip. "Never mind. Don't answer that. It isn't my business."
"No, I was never with anyone." I hold her gaze, unflinching. "It's always been you."
"Ridley." There's a warning in her tone, like she's telling me I'm skating too close to forbidden territory, but there's relief in her gaze, too, as if the truth settles her.
"I told you that you haunted me. I meant it, baby. You were everywhere."
"Ridley." Her fork clangs against her plate.
"You still haunt me."
"You think it's any different for me?" She jerks her head up, her eyes narrowing on me. "There were times when I wished I could get over you because then it would have hurt less, but I couldn't. You broke me."
I groan, her words hitting me right in the fucking heart. "I broke me too, baby. Christ, I broke everything, didn't I?"
"I don't know," she whispers.
I rise from the table, circling to her. I kneel beside her chair, reaching up to curve my hand around her jaw. To my surprise, she doesn't pull away. She nestles her face into my hand, and that gives me hope. Hope that I didn't break us beyond repair. And hope that she's still willing to give me a chance I don't deserve.
"I'm going to fix it, Dimples. I swear to you, I won't stop trying until you know how much I wish I'd never fucked it up in the first place."
"Don't break me again, Ridley," she whispers, a soft plea in her voice. "Please. I can't."
"Never again," I vow, determined to keep that promise no matter what.
Chapter Six
Paisley
"Thanks for dinner," Imurmur, lingering at the door with Ridley after dinner. I'm not really sure what else to say. It feels a little like we said it all back in the kitchen already. But I'm also not entirely sure I'm ready for him to go, either.
